Tag Archives: adopt a book

Adopt A Book: The Perfect Gift

Looking for the perfect gift for the winter holidays? Look no further. Donating to the Duke Libraries Adopt-a-Book program not only helps the Library preserve its collections, it makes a great gift for family or friends. Donations are also calorie-free and don’t take up closet space! We have a few new items up for adoption, and a few other titles that are worthy of adoption that have been on the list for a bit.

These three volumes of Don Quioxte have remarkable edge paintings that are still quite vibrant.

three books with edge paintings of castles
Castles galore!

This collection of four titles are all in excellent condition but need custom enclosures to keep them that way. Matthew Alexander Henson‘s A Negro Explorer at the North Pole recounts his 1909 voyage to the North Pole with Robert Peary, where he may have been the first to reach the geographic North Pole. This voyage was one of seven voyages to the Arctic where he served as a navigator and craftsman for Peary.

A collection of classics.

Still in need of adopting are two sets of bindings by H. McLanahan. These may all be written by Bernard Shaw, but the McLanahan bindings are what make these books stunning.

These are so expertly crafted and beautiful.

If you are feeling really generous, there are the beautiful and stunning elephant folio Birds of American by John James Audubon. These bindings are huge, and three are in need of repair. A true statement gift!

Strapping a double elephant folio Audubon.

There are plenty more available for adoption. See our website for the complete list and benefits of adoption. If you can’t decide on a particular item, let us decide with a “Adopt a Box: Conservator’s Choice.” We always have great stuff in the lab that needs attention. We will choose something wonderful for you.

Preservation Underground will be on hiatus until January so that we can rest, recharge, and spend time with our families over the holidays. We hope to see you in 2022. Thanks for reading!

Big Birds, Dragons, and Gardens…Oh My!

Just in time for graduation and Mother’s Day we have new items available for “adoption” through the Duke University Libraries Adopt-a-Book program.

Just added are titles such as Game of Thrones…

The Lord of the Rings trilogy…

A group of wonderful titles centering on women and children…

An awesome grouping of Octavia Butler first editions…

And if you are in the mood for some really big birds, three of the Audubon elephant folios are still available for adoption. Who doesn’t fall in love with these books when you see them?

To adopt the conservation of any of these, go to our Adopt-a-Book page and simply click on the big blue button of your choice.

Why adopt?

You help Duke Libraries preserve their collections so that these titles are available to researchers and patrons for a long time. Best of all, because you receive an electronic bookplate acknowledging your gift, you don’t have to find space for a three foot book on your book shelf. Marie Kondo would approve.

Our First Adopt-a-Book Repairs

By Erin Hammeke, Senior Conservator

gulliverDUL recently launched an Adopt-a-Book program and I just completed the conservation treatment of some our first adoptees. Jonathan Swift’s “Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World”, otherwise known as Gulliver’s Travels, was printed in four parts in London from 1726-1727 and our set was bound into two full-leather volumes.

Both volumes had loose or detached boards and had previous leather spine repairs. I secured the attachment of loose boards by using a treatment technique called a board tacket. This repair requires lifting small patches on the spine and inside of the board and reattaching the board with discrete stitches or tackets formed between the text and board with linen thread. I put the lifted patches back down with adhesive and applied small tissue repairs to the joints, end caps, and spines. The two volume set looks better now and is much safer to handle.

Thanks to our anonymous donor for adopting Gulliver! We look forward to seeing more Adopt-a-Book items make their way through the lab.

gulliver bt 2
Gulliver’s Travels before treatment.

Gulliver's Travels before treatment.
Gulliver’s Travels before treatment.

Gulliver's Travels after treatment.
Gulliver’s Travels after treatment.

Gulliver's Travels after treatment.
Gulliver’s Travels after treatment.

New Adopt-A-Book Program Supports Conservation Dept.

Our Audubon double elephant folios are on the list of adoptable items along with many other books and manuscripts.

We are pleased to announce a new initiative we have been working on for some time. The Duke University Libraries new Adopt-a-Book Program will raise funds to support the Conservation Services Department by giving you an opportunity to adopt the costs of the conservation treatment for an item from the collection.

How Do You Decide What Is Adoptable?

We select items based on the three classic criteria used for our regular workflows: value, use and risk. An item can be valuable as an object, as part of a larger collection or because of who created or owned it. Use can be through circulation, in the Rubenstein Library reading room, in a class, publication, digital project, exhibit, etc. An item is at the most risk if it cannot be used safely without incurring further damage or loss, or if it cannot be used at all due to its current condition. We work closely with DUL and Rubenstein Library to find items to place on the adoption list that meet all three criteria.

How To Adopt

Collection materials are listed on our website. When you decide which item you would like to adopt, contact Kurt in our Development Office with your selection. He will notify us of your donation and we will schedule the project. When an item is adopted, we will remove it from the list and put a new item in its place. We hope to have a constant flow of new materials available for adoption, so check back often.

Benefits of Adoption

adopt
An electronic bookplate will be displayed in the record when you adopt its conservation treatment.

When you adopt an item we will list you as a contributor on our website, and we will place an electronic bookplate in the item’s catalog record. If you wish to remain anonymous, be sure to tell Development and we will honor your request. You may also adopt in honor of someone or something special such as your mom on Mother’s Day, your son or daughter at graduation, etc.

The adoption process is easy. One quick phone call or email can help save a book, manuscript or archival document. Your support helps us in our mission to protect our collections and make them accessible now and in the future.